Hope Series Episode 21

Hope Series Episode 21

Click here to purchase the Invitations Poetry Devotional. For other Walk with Jesus resources, click here!

Hello friends…before I get into today’s episode on hope, I wanted to give you a quick update. First, I want to say that I am so grateful you found this podcast and I want to thank you for listening! I truly pray that these podcast episodes help you draw closer to Jesus. I hope they are, in some small way, a blessing to you. But I know that God will bless any time you choose to spend with Jesus – so I believe you are being blessed as you walk with him! I wanted to let you know that I won’t be uploading episodes for a little bit. I have to get back to writing my next Walk with Jesus devotional! I’m behind schedule! BUT, and this is a big but, there are over 100 episodes already uploaded for you to listen to when you finish the hope series. There are many other series you can choose to start – there’s one on transformation, on the invitations of Jesus, on Christ in the Carols, on the names of Jesus, and even one on gratitude, which would be something good to listen to in November! So I hope you will work your way backwards in the podcast and listen to some of these past episode series! If you follow the podcast or subscribe to the podcast, you will be notified when I start a new series. You can also sign up for a 21 day walk with Jesus challenge by going to WalkWithJesusDevotional.com. And you can also sign up for my newsletter there and I will notify you by email when I start a new series. As always, there will be a link for the show notes in the episode description and that will take you to my website where you can find these resources. Anyway, I just wanted to give you a quick update and tell you how much I appreciate you! I will be back with a new series soon, but until then, I hope you will listen to the past episodes. God bless you as you walk with Jesus!

Hello, my walking friend! Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that stimulates bone growth and strengthens muscles around the joints. It’s particularly beneficial for preventing osteoporosis and maintaining bone density, reducing the risk of fractures and joint disorders. Moreover, walking lubricates the joints, alleviating stiffness and improving flexibility, making it an excellent choice for those with arthritis or joint pain. So even though you might feel stiff and even experience a little pain when you walk, keep it up! It will get better!

Today is the 21st and last episode in the hope series and our verse to meditate on is:
Lamentations 3:25-26
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

I know, I know, here we go with the waiting again! If you have been working your way through this series on hope with me (and I hope you have!) then you know we have heard this word “wait” associated with “hope” many times. They really do go together, though, don’t they? I mean, if you already know that thing, or have the thing, then why do you need hope? Hope is what you are doing, the action you are taking, in the in-between of where you are and what you want to happen. And there are lots of ways we can wait. I started thinking about the different ways I wait for things.

Sometimes when I wait, I am impatient! My attitude is, come on, let’s get this going!
Sometimes when I wait, I am worried. Oh, I hope the results are good and not something that is going to cause me pain.
Sometimes when I wait, I am excited. Oh, I can’t wait to see my grandbabies and hear them yell, “Nana, Nana!”

Then I started thinking about the things I do when I am waiting. If I’m waiting line or waiting for someone, I will often check my phone for new notifications. If I am waiting to hear back about something that might include bad news, well, I might find myself mindlessly eating as a distraction. You know they call it comfort food for a reason! Or if I’m waiting for something exciting to happen, I might check the time repeatedly, hoping it will pass quickly so I can do the thing I’m excited about.

What do you do when you wait? What is your attitude in times of waiting? Are we alike in any ways? I think since we are both humans, there are probably some similarities!

But consider what the prophet Jeremiah is saying in this verse from Lamentations. Is your hope in the Lord? If so, goodness awaits you. Are you seeking the Lord while you wait? If so, you will find him. Is your attitude in the waiting one of confident assurance, so that you can wait without worry, or impatience, or fidgeting? Trusting in the timing of the one who saved you from sin and death?

I know it isn’t easy to wait on God’s timing for things in our lives. I’ve lived through painful seasons in that waiting room. But, oh my walking friend, the wonderful things the Holy Spirit can and will do to our souls in the waiting, if we will let him. It’s transformational! The Holy Spirit can deepen our faith and trust in God. With a deeper faith and trust, we will learn to have peace in the midst of uncertainty. When we have a deeper faith and trust in God, we will be able to trust his timing. When we seek him while we are waiting – rather than the sweets in the pantry, but maybe that’s just me talking – then he will be faithful to meet us where we are and meet our spiritual needs.

Whatever is going on in our lives, let’s declare, “Lord, I will put my hope in you. You are my salvation!” And wait quietly to see what he, and only he, can do.

Now let’s take a little time to meditate on today’s verse,
Lamentations 3:25-26
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

You are now at the halfway point of your walk. If you need to be back in 10 minutes, this would be the time to turn around and head back.

The second half of our walk is an opportunity for reflection, meditation, and prayer. For many of us, myself included, this might feel challenging. But the spiritual rewards, and transformation, that come from developing this discipline is great and so is the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. So let’s start with some questions that will guide you in the process of reflection.

What do you think it means to “wait quietly”? What would that look like in your life?

What does it mean to you to seek the Lord? God’s word tells us that when we seek him, we will find him when we seek him with all our heart. How does finding the Lord help you have hope?

How does the Holy Spirit help you better understand God’s word? Does the Holy Spirit help you have a heavenly perspective that makes the waiting easier?

Now let’s listen to today’s verse one last time:
Lamentations 3:25-26
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Is there anything else you would like to talk to Jesus about? Anything going on in your life? Remember he is right there with you, walking with you, and he is eager for you to share all that is on your heart and mind with him. Take some time to talk to him now.

Now I am going to pray for us:
Dear Jesus,
I love you. And I’m so grateful for all that you have done for me. Forgive me when I put my hope in worldly things, like people or money or reputation. Forgive me when I seek to find fulfillment in what the world offers me instead of in you. Holy Spirit, convict my heart when too much time has passed since I’ve spent time with my Savior. Give me a yearning for heavenly things. Thank you for being so merciful when I haven’t been as faithful to you as you have been to me. Jesus, I truly want you to be my all in all. And I thank you for walking with me always. Amen.

Well, my walking friend, you did it! Another 10 minutes of walking and another opportunity to build the spiritual discipline of prayer and quiet time with Jesus, our salvation. I’m grateful for you and I’m grateful you took the time to walk with me today.

For more Walk with Jesus resources, including the Walk with Jesus 21 day scripture, devotional, and guided prayer journal book for walkers, go to WalkWithJesusDevotional.com. You will find the URL for the show notes for this podcast in the episode description.

I hope we can walk together again tomorrow, friend. Until then, God bless you as you walk with Jesus!